Once an athlete, always an athlete. In the case of Maria Sharapova, she’s throwing punches instead of serves. The Russian superstar retired from the sport nearly five years ago, but her passion for fitness still remains at an all-time high. Sharapova is a fanatic about cardio, and to level up her daily routine, she recently incorporated something different into her workout regimen, and it has caught her fans off guard.

After years of high-intensity training and a strict diet, it’s quite natural for a person to adopt some of that discipline into their regular lives, as in the case of Sharapova. She took to her Instagram page to reveal an exciting update about her boxing hobby, a sport she first incorporated into her routine in 2017 and religiously practiced following her suspension after a failed doping test at the 2016 Australian Open. Though she found the sport beneficial to her game, the Russian sensation has picked it back up for a different reason now.

In order to give herself another avenue to remain active, Sharapova gloved herself up again after taking a three-year break from boxing. This cardio routine not only bolsters her post-retirement fitness regime but also helps her reminisce about the memories of tennis footwork.

In a practice video seemingly recorded in her garage, Sharapova looked sharp in her training. “Slowly getting back into boxing after 3 years. Not doing it for power anymore but incredible for cardio. 3-4 mins rounds. I still pivot my back leg like I’m hitting a forehand,” she captioned the Instagram story.

Maria Sharapova has opened up about staying consistent with her workout routines

Russian superstar Maria Sharapova once weighed in on maintaining a strict diet while balancing her craving for sweets. The 37-year-old even turned her love for candy into a multi-million dollar business after launching her confectionery company, ‘Sugarpova,’ in 2012. While she regularly posts fitness updates for her fans online, Sharapova addressed her daily workout regime during an interview with Vogue in February 2024.

She said, “I try to dedicate at least one hour per day, five to six days a week, to my body. I don’t train at the levels I used to, but I’m quite diligent about being consistent—even if I have only 30 minutes in a hotel room. To be honest, I like the variety that I have in my workouts now. It was much stricter while training as a professional athlete. But the consistency is what I’ve stuck to.”

She may not be competing anymore, but it can be hard to fully let go of that athlete lifestyle. “Diligence around diet is important but also challenging, especially when on the road. 80% of the time, I try to eat clean, and then 20% of the time, I love my cheat meals. I love sweets, so it’s not always an easy ration to keep up!” she added.

With her eyes set on her fitness goals, Sharapova is likely to stay true to her commitments and, at the same time, will tend to her professional duties. And if she continues to keep up with her boxing routine, then fans can surely hope for further fitness updates in the future.